1. Field of the Invention
This invention in general relates to counterfeit detection devices and, in particular, to an electro-optical scanning device for verifying the authenticity of security labels of the type having parallel lenticules of predetermined spatial frequency formed thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The counterfeiting and sale of trademarked or brand name products is a severe problem which causes legitimate manufacturers substantial financial damage because of lost sales. To discourage counterfeiting, those skilled in the art have provided security labels which can be attached to products by the manufacturer to alert consumers and retailers that a trademarked item is not authentic. One common form for such security labels comprises plastic laminar structures having integrally formed therewith a security feature by which the authenticity of such labels can be verified. The security features in the past have been, for example, magnetic codes for subsequent verification through magnetic decoding. Also used as security features have been light transmissive pigment materials, light polarizing dyes and phosphorescent materials arranged to produce optical patterns which can subsequently be verified either through direct visual inspection or through the use of special verifying apparatus. Optical patterns have also been used for this purpose because of their ability to be subsequently verified through the use of optical scanners.
More recently, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 262,120 filed in May, 1981 in the name of Paul. F. Sullivan and entitled "Verification Device", a novel anti-counterfeiting security label that is virtually counterfeit and simulation proof has been provided. The security label in this disclosure comprises a transparent material with parallel lenticules in the form of cylindrical lenses on one side and parallel colored lines on the other. The lenticules and lines are in perfect registration so that there are one or two colored lines behind each lenticule. The spatial frequency of the lenticules ranges between 1,000 and 2,000 lenticules per inch. Customized logos or emblems are produced by shifting the position of the lenticules and thus the colored line or lines relative to each other within the body of the logo. Variation in the spacing of the lenticules provides a means for producing a variety of visual effects that are observable with the naked eye. Although this security label requires no machine verifier, certain aspects of its structure are compatible with machine sensing devices.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a device for verifying the authenticity of security labels of the type having a series of parallel lenticules of predetermined spatial frequency formed thereon.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high-speed device for verifying lenticular type security labels.
Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the methods inherent in the use of the apparatus described.